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Our 6 pillars of trust

SwitchAround attaches great importance to developing a secure and trusted platform. This is why we have established 6 pillars of trust:

  1. Members are VERIFIED
  2. LEGAL guidance by our member care team
  3. Your accommodation is INSURED in the event of damages
  4. The MEMBERS COMMITMENT CODE
  5. The optional DEPOSIT
  6. Our MEMBER CARE TEAM is here to guide you

These 6 pillars are the outcome of a field study carried out in several cities and countries and a trust survey conducted by Blablacar.com called the D.R.E.A.M.S. Framework.

1. Listings are VERIFIED

EACH MEMBER IS VERIFIED before they can sub-let housing. There are 6 steps in the verification process:

  1. Verification of the personal email address
  2. Verification of the academic email
  3. Verification of the telephone number
  4. Verification of the information provided in the member’s listing and profile
  5. Verification of the valid student card
  6. Verification of the identity on social networks (such as LinkedIn or Facebook)

We are constantly working on optimizing our verification system. Complementary verification steps are to come.

2. Legal guidance by our Member Care team

We are always seeking to build a more secure platform. Therefore, each member can ask for standard documents to formalize their sublet.

These documents which are validated by our legal experts, are sent upon request when reserving a sublet.

Downloadable documents

  • Sublet contract
  • Engagement Chart of the Member
  • April International Insurance certificate

3. Your accommodation is insured in case of damage

Each accommodation available on our platform is covered by our APRIL INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE. This guarantee has been customized to adapt to student sublets. The insurance covers your accommodation up to 500 000€ damage such as:

  • Fire
  • Water damage
  • Damage made to small furniture (appliances, TV, computers, sofas…)

4. The Members Engagement Code

A community is much safer when the members are all involved. This is why each member join our Members Engagement Code.

Containing 10 essential engagement points, this Code has been created to involve each member by making sure that each of them is fully aware of their responsibilities towards other members.

5. The optional deposit

For even more peace of mind, each member can now deposit an amount on our secured hosting platform. The deposit is given back at the end of the sublet.

This deposit can be used in 2 cases:

  1. The subtenant’s accommodation is unlivable

Example: the accommodation isn’t what was described in the listing, is occupied or unsanitary. The deposit of the unhonest member is used to lodge you at your arrival until we find you new accommodation.

      2. An incident occured during my stay

Example: grease stain on my rug or loss of the house keys. The deposit can also be used in the case of minor incidents which do not require claiming insurance.

In these two cases, the member must claim the deduction of the deposit within 48 hours following the damage. In the event, that the member claims the deduction of the deposit, we intervene as a mediator.

It’s the first time I sublet my accommodation, I’m not reassured

Contact-us to find out more. Our team is here to guide you and reassure you all through the process.

I don’t dare to sublet my accommodation to an outsider

Before booking a sublet, contact members and take enough time to get to know them as much as possible. Your worries will slowly disappear. Our 6 pillars have also been created to secure your sublet. If you are still not reassured, feel free to contact our team.

What should I do if I come across a suspicious listing or profile?

Building a strong and trusted network is our main goal. Our team works daily on finding ways to optimize it. If somehow, you come across suspicious behaviour, contact us at: aide[at]switcharound.com or +33(0)5 56 81 87 63.

I have valuables in my accommodation, I'm afraid to sublet

You have several possibilities if you are concerned about your valuables:

  • Store your valuables in a locked room
  • Consign your valuables to a friend or neighbor

In either case, if your valuables happen to be damaged, keep in mind that they are covered by our insurance.